


Nightingale

by Shenronprincess



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rape Aftermath, Rape/Non-con Elements, Slow Build, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-09-13 04:51:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9107422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shenronprincess/pseuds/Shenronprincess
Summary: To the victor go the spoils or so Goku was told before someone he once considered a friend and ally ruthlessly took away the last of his innocence. To what lengths would his tormentor go to seek forgiveness from the man he betrayed in the worst possible way?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> “The nightingale, with its evening song, is the bird of love, sheltering secret lovers from prying eyes”.  
> https://exemplore.com/spirit-animals/divine-birds.
> 
> This is retelling of the Buu saga onward, some dialogue will be borrowed from the English sub. 
> 
> Also, please heed all warnings. There is rape in the first chapter between Majin Vegeta and Goku. I should have put a note up since I don't want to trigger anyone's trauma, but I thought the tag might have been enough.

“Don’t know why I’m surprised. He _has_ been training for the last seven years straight,” Goku sighed in a defeated tone, grimacing in pain as he was being held up unceremoniously by one of his wrists.

Vegeta’s grip was like the hardest of steel traps and looking at the other saiyan now all Goku wished was for a burst of energy to overcome the utter and complete trouncing that Vegeta had dealt to him and his body. 

But Goku would not get his opportunity just yet. His anger had made him rush headlong into battle unprepared and he was beginning to realize that he had seriously underestimated the rage and capabilities of his opponent.

Hearing a deep guttural laugh, Goku blinked as Vegeta’s lips curled into an evil smirk, his wild eyes reflecting a promise of something dark yet incomprehensible. 

The thirst for battle and vengeance still appeared to be at the forefront of Vegeta’s mind as he dangled Goku over the cliff precariously, but looking into teal pools so much like his own, the earth saiyan briefly caught a hint of something that was all together disturbing.

Maybe it had something to do with all the blows Goku received to the face or the droplets of blood trickling down into his eyes blurring his vision, but it was a strange look and he didn’t have a good feeling about what it would lead to.

Striving to get a grip on his agonized state, Goku’s instincts screamed at him to move, punch, kick at his rival, do something but he was battered to the core and his limbs were now refusing to cooperate.

“Vegeta?” Goku strained, speaking in a low husk, voice barely heard over the thudding of his own heart.

Glancing up at his rival, Goku’s apprehension was suddenly renewed as the smirk deepened on Vegeta’s face and that same look from before passed over the surface of those glittering teal eyes, making Goku shiver despite the heat of his injuries raking through his body.

All the verbal insults and bone crushing kicks and jabs had not surprised the younger saiyan in the least, expecting no less from his rage fueled counterpart. 

_So why was the look in Vegeta’s eyes bringing such a disquieting feeling to the pit of his stomach?_

Goku didn’t have time to ponder any more thoughts as he was suddenly hurled into the side of the mountain by the laughing prince, a large crater forming around his battered body. 

Screaming in pain, Goku barely managed to look up as ki rings were fired at his appendages and around his neck, locking him securely to the jagged rocks behind him. 

Goku, feeling like a trapped animal at this point, was very close to panic. 

_Just what is Vegeta up to?_ Goku’s mind screamed in alarm, watching with bated breath as the prince teleported towards him, a look of triumph coloring his twisted but handsome features. 

“What’s the matter, Kakarot?” Vegeta taunted, “Not winning as easily as you thought?”

Gritting his teeth against the pain of his injuries and pushing down the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach, Goku strained a reply “I never said it would be easy.”

“Hmph, you won’t be winning at all,” Vegeta countered mockingly, slapping him across the face with a gloved hand. 

Goku raged inside at the humiliation of such an action, growling his frustration at his inability to do anything. _Why was the man so insulting at every turn? Had his recent actions not caused enough suffering to those around him? Why couldn’t he ever let this kami forsaken grudge go?_

The face of his tormentor was mere inches from his own, and Goku held his breath at the scorn directed at him from Vegeta’s blazing eyes. 

“Are you feeling angry, humiliated, is that it?” Vegeta bellowed as he kneed him roughly in the abdomen. 

Perhaps the older saiyan had read Goku’s unspoken thoughts because it only seemed to instigate him further as he continued his verbal and physical assault. 

“Fool, you don’t know what humiliation is,” Vegeta exploded with unbridled fury, punctuating each shouted word with kicks and punches to Goku’s face, abdomen and anything the enraged prince could land blows upon. 

Goku took every shot helplessly, feeling the bitter tang of blood gather into his mouth after a particularly vicious punch to his gut, felt his breath, the last air in his lungs, exhale out in a pained cough. 

Vegeta, however, was far from done. The air between them was thick with the rage and hatred spewed forth by the saiyan prince as he viciously continued his tirade. 

Harsh words erupted from Vegeta’s mouth, a speech about honor and lost pride and a resolution to no longer be Goku’s second. Clenching his eyes and trying to ignore the pain, Goku listened to all of it. He could practically feel the searing heat of Vegeta’s words carving wounds straight into his heart, permanently embedding their barbs in like a thorny rose. 

“The way that you have cut down my pride,” Vegeta roared at him with finality, his right hand rising up in the air.

When the man made one last promise to finish him off, Goku opened his weary eyes and gazed up into the determined face of Vegeta. Now shivering uncontrollably, Goku watched as the gleam in those feral eyes deepened, taking on a rapacious air; the eyes of a predator ready to devour its wounded prey. 

Vegeta felt his whole body tense as the upraised hand stilled above him. He was about to deal the last blow to his fallen rival, but saiyan instinct called to his blood, making it burn with the need to dominate and reap the spoils of their little war. 

Vegeta slashed instead at the ki rings suspending Kakarot to the rock and released him from their bounds but before the taller man could fall onto his face the prince was there to grab him firmly around the throat. 

Slamming him to the floor ruthlessly and eliciting a scream of pain from his throat, the impact nearly rendered Kakarot unconscious but Vegeta would not let him pass out just yet.

Vegeta snatching the man's ridiculous orange gi with his free hand tore the material right off Kakarot’s lower half, leaving him fully exposed to his hungry lust filled gaze. 

“To the victor go the spoils, Kakarot.”

Vegeta saw the momentary confusion reflected in Kakarot’s eyes, followed by expressions of shock and horror when he roughly separated the man’s muscular thighs and inserted two of his gloved fingers into the warmth of his opening. 

“Ahh…Vegeta,” he heard Kakarot painfully cry out, “What are you doing?” Disbelief but now a tinge of outrage colored the voice of the saiyan beneath him.

That was all the incentive Kakarot would need to kick and struggle wildly at Vegeta with what was left of his resolve, trying to force the prince to remove the punishing digits from where they were deeply embedded. 

“I’m taking what is mine by right,” Vegeta laughed harshly above him, “So you might as well give up your pathetic struggle.”

Tightening his grip around the neck of his rival Vegeta continued to violate Kakarot with his fingers, but when he felt the saiyan trying to escape his hard grasp Vegeta quickly removed them and reached into his pants to liberate his hardening cock. 

With Kakarot still maintaining his fight, Vegeta swiftly positioned himself between his longer legs, poking at the thrashing male’s opening with the tip of his erection. 

“Vegeta, stop it, damnit.” Kakarot howled one last time before Vegeta shoved himself fully and violently into his unprepared entrance causing the pinned saiyan to convulse, a cry of pain sounding from his throat. 

Vegeta, grunting at the heat of Kakarot, whose body was clenching tightly around his cock as it was ruthlessly plundered, thought he would die at the sheer dominating pleasure of it all. Never giving Kakarot even a small chance to adjust, the saiyan prince began a hard and fast rhythm, pumping into his victim with a force that shook the rocks around them and pulled more tormented howls from the other saiyan’s throat. 

Fire consumed Vegeta’s powerful form, triggering the oozaru spirit within him to life. Feeling it churning inside him, burning him at his very core, gave Vegeta an exhilarating high. Muscles rippling and hips colliding into his victim’s, Vegeta trilled and vocalized harshly in his wild and barbaric native tongue. 

Thrust after powerful thrust was rocking the body underneath Vegeta’s own as the steady whimpers and cries of pain Kakarot released vibrated between their glistening bodies. 

Retracting his lips from sharp teeth and arching his back, he felt the other saiyan’s ki pulsing against his own, caressing it, and waging a duel even as Kakarot writhed in exquisite agony. And the scent of blood in the air mixing with the earthy musk of the male beneath him only heightened Vegeta’s aroused state, making him roar out his conquest to the canyon bearing witness to their ancient saiyan ritual. 

At this rate it wasn’t long before Vegeta reached his peak and climaxed as the adrenaline he felt during the forced coupling had heightened all of his senses. One last howl of triumph and a few more thrusts had the prince releasing into the torn flesh of his victim, who had become oddly quiet and docile beneath him.

Panting heavily and still buried inside Kakarot, Vegeta noticed a single tear that was shed from the other man glistening on his flushed cheek. Vegeta murmuring underneath his breath as he came down from the blissful high, studied the bruised and bloody face intently for a few moments longer.

The idea that his rival had been crying unnerved the cruel prince, allowing regret to begin worming its way into his conscious. Vegeta’s hand naturally reached out and swiped at the salty moisture, causing the younger saiyan to flinch and avert his gaze from his tormentor. Somehow this also felt wrong to Vegeta, who was feeling the normally strong-willed Kakarot begin to tremble underneath him with a look of utter defeat and sadness marring his features.

Pulling out his softening cock, Vegeta didn’t miss the pained grimace made by the other male and the sound and feel of warm blood and semen dripping out from Kakarot’s violated body onto the hard ground. 

“Kakarot,” Vegeta whispered more to himself, as he fought the last hold the majin possession had over him. 

In response, the younger saiyan shifted from his place on the ground and sat up bringing his knees closer to his torso and laying his head on them, seemingly uncaring about the fluids still trickling out of him.

Vegeta wasn’t so low as to blame his recent actions completely on his possession but Babidi’s magic had brought out the worst of what Vegeta had buried deep inside him and the catharsis of Vegeta’s deep seated anger and resentment towards the other saiyan had come with a heavy price.

Vegeta now observed Kakarot’s position, back hunched forward and head down with another pang of guilt and remorse. His mind flashed briefly with an image of a smiling and happy Kakarot greeting him at the start of the tournament and Vegeta couldn’t help but contrast that to the current state of the younger saiyan.

Kakarot’s outward appearance still held that of a strong warrior but now Vegeta could sense the shame, anger, and sadness coming off him in steady waves. All the emotions twisting together now gave Kakarot the appearance of a nightingale slumped on the cold unforgiving ground, nursing a broken wing but determined to survive. 

“Why, Vegeta?” came the whispered question that sounded more like a plea from the saiyan across from him, breaking Vegeta out of his thoughts and observations.

Goku chose that instant to look up and stare directly into Vegeta’s eyes, hoping for an answer as to why the man he once considered a friend had raped him so savagely.

 _Had Vegeta been harboring such plans for a while now? Did he really hate him that much?_ These questions and more were running through Goku’s mind and he wanted, no he needed, them answered. 

“Saiyan instinct, Kakarot,” Vegeta replied as he gazed into the angry and hurt eyes of the one before him, seeing to the depths of his soul how much Vegeta had broken the man’s trust in him.

With that answer, the expression on Kakarot’s face turned into one of bewilderment and horror, but Vegeta would not get the chance to explain further.

A pulse of power came from the distance, making the rocks around them vibrate with its earth shattering intensity

It was Majin Buu - the terror of the universe had finally awoken and Vegeta’s actions had made it possible.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vegeta and Goku come to a tentative truce and a sacrifice is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter I have written and from here on out the divergence should be more noticeable hopefully.

The wounded earth saiyan was hunched over and sitting quietly for what seemed like an eternity to Vegeta, who was beginning to grow uneasy as time passed and the power in the distance grew. 

After his response to Kakarot's inquiry as to why Vegeta had ravaged him, the younger saiyan had clammed up and refused to even look him in the eyes anymore.

Reaching out tentatively, Vegeta brushed over Kakarot’s hand to offer comfort and apology in his own way, but the action earned him a growl from the edgy saiyan and Kakarot finally raised his head to glare up at him, “Don’t.”

Goku’s dark eyes pierced through Vegeta and a wary look flashed over their surface as he regarded the older saiyan, who was knelt in front of him, before speaking again.

“You know what made the earth tremble just now?” Goku asked, looking off into the distance at some far away point. 

Grunting Vegeta replied, “Majin Buu, I’m assuming.”

Vegeta lowered his head and held his breath considering what options were left to him at present. It was obvious how the younger saiyan felt about him and it wasn’t encouraging. Not that he could blame Kakarot.

“We have to stop him, Vegeta,” Kakarot’s voice broke through the older saiyan’s tumultuous thoughts, “Or he will destroy the earth and there won’t be anything left.”

“We?” Vegeta questioned, gazing into the face of his battered rival, trying to figure out what the man intended to do. 

Goku flashing a wistful smile responded cautiously, “I can put aside what happened in exchange for saving the earth, though I cannot promise you I’ll easily forget what you did to me.”

Vegeta considered Kakarot’s words for some time before nodding. 

“Understood,” the prince acknowledged, again reaching toward Kakarot, who seemed to be more receptive to him now.

“I said don’t touch me, damnit,” Goku boomed abruptly, making Vegeta flinch and retract his hand like a fire had just burned it, “You have no fucking right!”

This time Vegeta could feel the rage and incredible power that was hidden deep within Kakarot rising up, threatening to break the surface of its master’s control. 

_Had Kakarot found a way to surpass even a SS2?_ The idea brought a brief hint of anger to Vegeta, who had the impression the earth saiyan had been fighting at full strength during their battle earlier.

Vegeta had opened his mouth to question the other man but promptly closed it. Kakarot was right. He had no right to anything at the present from him. Not even an explanation about the power he might be holding back.

Vegeta had after all just raped his rival viciously and yet Kakarot was still asking for his help to save the planet from destruction, willing to put aside what had just transpired between them. 

“Alright, Kakarot,” the weak and unpleasant emotions Vegeta tried to suppress had moved him and he heard himself agreeing to the earth saiyan’s proposal, even as the wheels in his mind were spinning with other possibilities. 

“Good,” Kakarot scrutinized him with searching eyes but appeared content with his answer. 

Vegeta giving the other saiyan his back heard Kakarot rise and begin searching for scraps of clothing to cover his naked lower half and after some time and creative use of his outer gi shirt, Kakarot had covered the more intimate regions of his body to his satisfaction.

“I’m almost done,” Goku called out from his bent position.

Searching through his salvaged belongings, Goku’s hand came across a tiny brown bag and he dug out one of the healing beans to give Vegeta, his prince of a dead race, the very prince who had just raped his body into the unforgiving rocks of the canyon. 

But it couldn’t be helped; Goku needed the other man. The power he had felt earlier was tremendous and it would take their combined strength to defeat him. 

“Here, take this,” Goku held out his fingers with the senzu for his companion to accept without having to touch him. 

But instead of taking the offered sustenance, Vegeta did the only thing his pride would allow and lunged forward, fisting his hands together and knocking Kakarot soundly behind the neck.

Kakarot never saw it coming and Vegeta watched as the taller saiyan dropped, his golden spikes of hair shifting back to sable as he fell face forward onto the ground.

“You were always too trusting, Kakarot,” Vegeta whispered, his dark eyes fixing the man’s unconscious form and putting it into memory, “even now.” 

Bending down to pick up the bean from its place near the fallen one’s hand, Vegeta placed it between his teeth and winced as he chewed and bitterness engulfed his mouth. 

A flash of something, a not so distant memory, now passed through Vegeta’s thoughts. It was him on the ground with a hole in his chest, reaching out to Kakarot, begging him to destroy Frieza for killing their people. 

Kakarot had been true to his word that day, soundly defeating the bastard who had blown up their entire planet and its population. Yet Vegeta had hated him for it - Hated that it was a third class nobody and not Prince Vegeta who had ascended and achieved the impossible.

But what benefit did hatred earn Vegeta except for pain and trouble tenfold? Had he not been possessed and busy torturing his fellow saiyan, the threat now looming like a dark shadow over the planet wouldn’t have been awoken.

“I won’t let you interfere this time,” Vegeta whispered as the memories were fading and his obsidian eyes gazed resolutely at the man near his feet.

If Kakarot had been conscious he might have seen the moment the hard prince softened his features before standing back up.

“Majin Buu will die by my hands, Kakarot. When you wake I may not be around but this planet will be safe.”

Giving his rival one last glance, Vegeta turned and began to make his way to the location of the enemy and his likely demise. 

Knowing this as clear as day, Vegeta felt no regrets. His crimes were too numerous to remember now and he was determined to pay the debt back with blood. Even if it was his own.

Somewhere off in the distance, two great powers would wage a battle for the survival of the planet and its people, but earth’s greatest hero would not bear witness to the sacrifice made by the prince or hear Vegeta’s last words spoken in the fiery wind. 

“Trunks, Bulma, I do this for you…and yes, even for you Kakarot.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Father and Son say goodbye, Goku fights his painful memories, and the arrival of a friend.
> 
> (Edits were also made to Chapter 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to thank all of you who left kind comments and kudos for this fic. I was struggling to write anything for the last few weeks and you greatly encouraged me to continue. This is for you.
> 
> Also give some love and kudos to AlphaLightBearer who graciously gifted me with cover art for this fanfiction. https://archiveofourown.org/works/9248300

Goku had known Vegeta lost the battle with Majin Buu the moment he awoke. The stubborn man knocked him unconscious to go after their enemy alone and it had been a failed endeavor on his part. Goku was still sensing the ki of their enemy pulsing strongly in the distance but there was nothing left of Vegeta’s.

Even worse Gohan’s ki had disappeared as well and Goku was beginning to feel an overwhelming sense of desperation growing in his heart at the thought of his son possibly lying dead on the ground somewhere all alone. His eldest boy meant the whole world to Goku and not sensing his vibrant energy trail had brought a great sorrow to the injured warrior. 

“Breathe,” Goku whispered to himself, stifling back the dark apprehension that was causing his energy to flare up. 

Goku was attempting to steady his heart and calm down long enough to think more clearly. There was a small chance Gohan was still alive somewhere since their mental link just seemed quiet and not completely severed like it was with Vegeta and it would be far easier to locate a weak ki if he didn’t panic and lose his cool.

“That’s it breath, Goku.” A few sharp intakes of breath and the whispered mantra were the only sounds spoken in the wind as the saiyan rapidly quieted his mind and body, “Breathe…” 

Exhaling out the last of his fears, Goku now reached out mentally again to pick up on any signals he may have missed earlier. Surveying the barren landscape with his enhanced abilities, he latched upon something near the scene of the devastating battle. Focusing on the faint glimmer of life with hope, he was about to transmit to it when he suddenly felt the appearance of two more kis, powerful and familiar, pulsing to life at the very same location. 

Goku sighing with relief placed two fingers to his forehead and concentrated, transporting himself to the energies he felt, most likely belonging to the Supreme Kai and Kibito. 

A flash of light heralded Goku’s arrival and brought him to the scene of Gohan being healed by the taller of the two shinjins, observing happily as the teen began to revive and stir from his place on the ground. Approaching the trio with a lighter feeling in his spirit, Goku exchanged a nod of gratitude and acknowledgment to both deities and patiently stood by Gohan as he regained full use of his renewed body. 

“I believe someone’s wish on your dragon balls was responsible for my rebirth,” Kibito quipped wryly, glancing over to the brooding saiyan and his offspring, “Which is why I was able to heal the injured Shin and young Gohan here in time.”

“Ah,” Goku replied thoughtfully, “Maybe it was Bulma and the others. I am grateful to you, Kibito. When I couldn’t detect Gohan’s ki before, I suspected the worst.” 

“Don’t worry. I’m Ok, Dad,” Gohan looking up from his place on the floor spoke, touched by the concerned look in his father’s dark eyes.

“I’m glad, Son,” Goku smiled down momentarily at the boy by his feet, swiftly giving him a hand up. 

“We will be taking Gohan for training on our planet now that Majin Buu is awake,” the Supreme Kai announced, “He is our best hope to defeat the monster when your time is up in this world.” 

Goku nodded his approval before answering. “He can do it, Supreme Kai. I have faith in him and his abilities.” 

Gohan blinked to gain his full bearings and gave his father a determined look, fixing his gaze on the hopeful expression on Goku’s face. If the older man believed Gohan could do it, then there was nothing stopping him from training his hardest to defeat their enemy. 

“I’ll do my best, Supreme Kai. I promise.”

Father and son exchanged another nod but this time Gohan froze, his eyes scrutinizing something he briefly felt in Goku’s aura. Something appeared different with the older man and Gohan could swear he sensed a hint of darkness currently infiltrating the otherwise bright light surrounding him.

“Dad?” Gohan whispered, looking past his father’s façade and noticing the lines of sorrow creasing his otherwise passive face. Scrunching his brows together, Gohan wondered at the change. Something must have happened while he was out cold - something bad by the feel of it. 

“Yeah, Son?” 

Goku turned back, paying closer attention to his boy who was eyeing him curiously, “I’m glad I have the chance to see you again before my time is up,” he said to him with a gentle smile. 

“I’m glad too, Dad,” Gohan smiled back. “When I left you alone with Vegeta, I had this feeling of dread in my heart that I would never see you again.” 

At the uttering of his dead rival’s name Goku flinched visibly for a moment, a strange look passing over him as the sorrow deepened in the pit of his eyes. He had silently hoped Gohan and the others wouldn’t mention the other saiyan or ask about their fight. Vegeta was the last person Goku wanted to discuss and he felt his gut wrench at his son’s keen eyes giving him the once over, effortlessly picking up on something amiss. 

“Dad, are you OK?” Gohan asked cautiously as he observed the older man, worry marring his young face.

Gohan thought he had imagined the sadness shadowing his father before but now he wasn’t so sure. There was a dark energy affecting Goku and a deep hurt that wasn’t there when they last parted and Gohan definitely noticed how he hit upon a nerve when he mentioned the missing saiyan prince. 

_What exactly happened in his time fighting with Vegeta?_ Gohan opened his mouth to question his father but the look of near panic in the man’s eyes took his breath away. It was almost like he didn’t want anything to do with the topic or even that particular line of conversation.

“Gohan, I’m fine. Just worried about what’s going on.” Goku hastily diverted the conversation, giving his customary Son chuckle in response to the teen’s concern. 

Gohan sighed, relenting and softening his inquisitive features that he inherited from his mother’s side. When his father was ready to talk he would listen, but for now his support would have to be enough. “Don’t be. We’ll make it through this. Count on it, Dad.” 

Gohan spoke with a surety he really didn’t feel but he refused to leave behind his father with that look in his eyes. The usually happy man was a shell of his former self and it shook Gohan to his very foundation to see him drowning in so much sadness. 

Perhaps sensing his son’s concern about him and knowing their time was drawing to an end, Goku gripped the teen’s shoulders with both of his calloused hands and brought his eyes down to fix Gohan with a reassuring look. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way, Son…that I could be here with you all longer. I thought my decision to stay dead all those years ago was for the best but now I see I was wrong. I missed out on so much of you and Goten’s life and I regret that with all my heart.” 

Goku paused, unable to finish as tears moistened his inhuman eyes and he began to steadily lose his composure. 

“It’s Ok, Dad. I understand,” Gohan’s heart broke as he listened to the sincere remorse in his father’s speech wanting so badly to just hug the older man back to his former self, but shyness now held him back. While not as cold as someone like Vegeta, his father was still a saiyan warrior and not prone to overly grand displays of affection. 

Gohan did however wish with every part of his soul that he could tell his father about all the things that happened in his life these past seven years, but there was no time left. What little they had was stolen away by Babidi and his minions. Gohan had a forgiving heart but he was upset with all of the day’s events and especially disappointed in Vegeta. He had come to see the prince as family these last few years and it pained him to lose out spending time with his visiting father because Goku was too busy entertaining the older saiyan’s whims and grievances over his bruised ego and pride. 

Gohan just wished his father would open up to him and tell him what happened between the two that left such a dark grip on his spirit but Goku remained tight lipped and had slyly diverted the conversation before. 

“We are running out of time,” Kibito spoke suddenly, motioning for Gohan to join him and Supreme Kai, “Come, young one.” 

Gohan was startled out of his deep thoughts by the voice, looking up to nod in affirmation before turning back to his father. He now felt the stirrings of deep emotion inside him as he gazed upon the familiar vision of Goku illuminated by the rays of the bright sun. The older man’s youthful yet adult face gradually crinkled in a soft smile as Gohan looked upon him, his obsidian eyes conveying so much love, understanding, and deep longing. 

“I guess I should get going now, Dad,” Gohan made to say his last goodbye but found it difficult as he choked and tried to hold back the tears stinging his eyes and clouding his sight. 

“Gohan…”

Goku noticed his son’s trembling lip and smiled wider in response, suddenly pulling him hard against his chest in a tight hug and squeezing him with enough force that it stole the air from Gohan’s lungs.

“I love you, Son,” Goku whispered, reverently holding him close with his head pressing against his, “and I’m proud of you. Train hard, I know you can do it.” 

His heart was touched to the very core, tears running down Gohan’s eyes at his father’s heartfelt words of encouragement. The warmth and love radiating from the older man was a welcomed and missed sensation. Knowing this was probably the last time he might ever spend time with his father again hurt Gohan profoundly and he squeezed Goku back just as hard, reluctant to leave him behind. 

He didn’t know for how long they embraced but time seemed to stop altogether as Gohan memorized the familiar scent and feel of the man in his arms, burning it into his memory permanently - hoping to never forget it again. 

“I just alerted the earthlings to not use their other wish and allow Shenron to grant it in few months,” Supreme Kai announced, breaking up the tender father-son moment gently “It may be needed then if all goes ill with Buu.”

“Thank you,” Goku quirked a grateful smile and released Gohan from his embrace, “I will transmit to them after you all go and get them up to speed with what’s happened.” 

Looking towards his son for the final time, Goku reached out to wipe the salty tears from his cheeks with one of his thumbs. “Goodbye, Gohan. Remember I’ll always be there if you need an ear to listen. King Kai can open up a channel so we can communicate.”

Gohan laughed lightly and gathered his courage, breathing deeply and toughening his spirit for what was to come.

“Ok, Dad. I won’t forget and I love you too,” he whispered, giving his father one last affectionate hug before going over to join Supreme Kai and Kibito who were preparing to teleport to their planet. Shaky hands touched the shoulders of each deity as Gohan’s gaze fixed on the sad yet determined face of his father and the last thing he saw before he and his companions dematerialized and disappeared in the wind was the saiyan’s upraised palm in salute.

“Goodbye, dad…” His son’s final words sounded more like a little child’s and it broke his heart to leave behind his boy again just like it had seven years ago. Gohan had grown into a fine young man though and he couldn’t be more proud of him and honored to call him son. 

Goku sighed with resignation, trying to pick himself back up after the difficult departure and he fought to quell the drain seeping through his body and limbs. For the first time today, he was by himself with only the company of his musings and painful thoughts. There was still much to do; an enemy to fight and explanations to be made but Goku now felt the weight of all he had gone through crashing over him like an avalanche. 

The embattled earth saiyan prayed he had enough strength to get through his remaining time here before otherworld called him back into its embrace. There maybe he could forget the betrayal that left a bitter taste in his mouth and a scar over his psyche. 

_To the victor go the spoils, Kakarot…_

The pain had started shortly after Vegeta uttered those words and punishing fingers were shoved in Goku’s most intimate area, causing the younger saiyan to struggle vainly against his tormentor’s grip. 

Pressing trembling hands over his ears, Goku fought with all his power to shut out the voice and the dark memories associated with it, but it was all for naught as more of the poisonous speech crept past his defenses and reverberated through his mind. 

_I’m taking what is mine by right…_

“No,” Goku screamed at the remembered words, tears now falling freely from his blurry eyes as he slammed his fists against his abdomen “I won’t let you haunt me even when you’re dead.”

Goku couldn’t stop the images from coming unbidden into his mind and he couldn’t erase the memory of Vegeta’s lust filled maniacal expression as he pushed himself to the hilt inside his body, the searing flash of agony forcing Goku to roar in the cannons like a beast fighting for its survival. 

Now alone, there was no one here to witness his anguished cries or to comfort Goku and the shame he drowned in was unbearable. The dam that held back Goku’s torrent of emotions was cracking and disintegrating into dust. 

“I won’t - I won’t let you.” Goku screamed, his body wracked with heartbreaking sobs as he dropped to the floor and curled up into a ball with his legs pulled to his chest and head buried between them, releasing all that he had endured until now. 

Here on earth Goku had always been the pillar on which everyone leaned on but now he was crying on the cold ground, a broken and battered victim, betrayed twice by the same man in one day. 

Part of Goku hated Vegeta for what he had done but the other part hated himself more. 

At some point Goku felt he lost a bit of his renowned will and didn’t put up enough of a fight…almost like he was allowing the rape to happen. Perhaps it was related to saiyan instinct and tied into what Vegeta had said but the possibility horrified Goku all over again.

He didn’t know for long he cried and even what words he shouted in the knowing wind, but it didn’t bring him closer to any sort of peace. It still burned, the place where even now he felt the shades of Vegeta’s cruelty slowly destroying him from the inside out. The feeling and sound of the man releasing his seed in Goku’s abused body and howling in conquest was playing out over and over in his mind until Goku thought he would go insane from all the vivid mental images. 

_Kakarot…_

It was Vegeta’s voice in the wind and it made Goku uncurl his body and leap up in shock. He was startled by how close that sounded, almost like Vegeta had been there for a brief moment. Goku even caught a hint of the other saiyan’s distinctive musk and could have sworn he felt a hand caress him gently, running through his disheveled hair to console him. 

“Vegeta…”

The man’s betrayal ran deep into his soul, but Goku strained past the mental flashes to the core of his being, hoping to tap into the well of goodness there that he had used to forgive even the likes of Frieza in the past. 

_But could he really forgive Vegeta?_

For the first time in Goku’s life he wasn’t sure if he was willing to. The prince had forcibly stripped the last of Goku’s innocence from him, leaving him with only the unspeakable weight of it tainting his once pure soul. 

_But what choice did he truly have then when the planet was in danger and they had a chance to end it together…and what choice did he have now but to continue choking down his shame and forget?_

The only thing left to do was follow the plan and go seek out the others. Goku would need to relay the news of Vegeta’s death to them and absently wiping away all evidence of his tears, he steadied his erratic heartbeat long enough to prepare for their shocked exclamations. 

But before he could transmit to their location, he felt the approach of a familiar ki rapidly flying towards his own.

Grinning, Goku waited patiently as the searching namekian stopped and dropped out of the sky just to his right.

“I finally found you,” Piccolo spoke as he touched down hard, his eyes connecting with Goku’s over the dust drudged up by his landing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piccolo and Goku have a chat and certain truths are discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for supporting the last chapter and fic so far. This is another character building one but hopefully it should get more action packed soon. Also keep an eye out for a scene from the English dub within this chapter. I thought it was a fitting place for it to go. 
> 
> I have a tumblr now if anyone is interested (not that I'm that exciting to follow). 
> 
> https://shenronprincess.tumblr.com/
> 
> I was thinking of posting snippets of upcoming chapters and other spoilers on there. For now, I am just re-blogging things.

Goku flashed a relieved smile as the dust settled and the familiar silhouette of the namekian warrior could visibly be discerned standing across from him. 

“Welcome back, Piccolo,” the saiyan offered in salute, happy to see him alive and well. 

“Yes,” Piccolo grunted, a scowl briefly creasing his face at the reminder of having been turned into a giant statue by Babidi’s minion, “It’s good to breathe a free air again, my friend.”

Goku smirked wider, but said nothing more. They had a long trip back after all, and although he could use his ability to transport instantly, Goku craved a bit of cool air blowing in his face to gather his thoughts and decide just how he was going to confront the others with the day’s events. 

So the two warriors flew back in relative silence, the wind picking up and causing their clothing to flap and ripple against their hard bodies. Piccolo appeared to be just as contemplative and preoccupied next to his flying companion, and neither man saw fit to break the quiet thoughts of the other, each bearing news of recent events that was weighing heavily on their hearts. 

So much was running through Goku’s mind and the flight back to the lookout had been filled with fear, hesitation, and worry intermingling and causing a churning sensation to coil in his stomach. _How would the others react to the death of Vegeta? What would they say? Would they ask him questions he did not want to answer?_

Goku was not fully prepared for such inquiries and the one he feared speaking to the most was the man’s wife- his very first friend in this world. Bulma was a temperamental but caring woman and she appeared to have loved her husband despite his many faults. _How could he look her in the eyes and tell her about Vegeta’s death when all he saw and felt in his mind was the man raping and ravishing him, conquering his body like he was the fresh spoils of some barbaric war?_

Truly the saiyan people must have been monsters when his home planet still existed to consider what happened to him normal and that part of Vegeta’s explanation still baffled and horrified Goku. Yes, he retained the thirst for battle from his saiyan blood among other things, but he never once had the urge to dominate any of his defeated foes in quite the same manner. 

Shaking the anxious fears from his mind, Goku looked over at his flying companion and groaned, replaying the rest of their conversation before they had taken flight.

_“You are aware of Vegeta’s death, are you not?” Piccolo began solemnly, glancing over at Goku for confirmation, but instead observed him stiffen after the name had left his lips._

_“I am,” Goku tersely replied, turning his head away to avoid the probing gaze of the other warrior._

_Narrowing his eyes, Piccolo had a suspicion something bad had happened between the two that his comrade was not too eager to discuss. Yet he had to try to get it out of him, instinctually feeling it was important._

_“Goku,” Piccolo began carefully, “You know you can tell me anything, right? I’m here for you. Whatever you need to say, I promise, will not leave this circle.”_

_Goku, glancing up into the too knowing eyes of his fellow warrior, exhaled sharply. He should have guessed Piccolo would have picked up on something amiss the moment Vegeta’s name was mentioned and he reacted so out of character. The namek was infamous for his inquisitive eyes and strong intuition and this time was no different._

_Taking another deep breath and bracing himself, Goku felt he had to reveal to at least one other soul what had happened and Piccolo’s words and non-judgmental demeanor had reassured him enough to open up._

_“We fought,” Goku hesitantly started the difficult conversation, pausing for a second to gather his next words, “We fought and I lost. Vegeta, he-”_

_But Goku found he couldn’t finish his sentence and he choked on his next words, the unspoken truth quickly dying on his tongue. He thought he would be able to confess what had happened but shame was rearing its ugly head to grip at his soul, holding him back._

_“Take your time, Goku.” Piccolo thought over what Goku had said and wondered about what he was going to say, but seeing the pained expression flashing across the other man’s eyes decided not to press the matter further…at least for the moment._

_The saiyan warrior to Piccolo’s right let loose another sigh, frowned then faced forward again, buried in his thoughts once more._

They came upon the white tiled surface of the lookout thirty minutes later and landed in a more secluded area next to a shower and some changing rooms. Piccolo figured Goku would at least want to freshen up and change his tattered clothing that barely hung on his body and appeared to have taken quite a beating along with him. 

But before he could make that offer, Piccolo needed reassurance of something that he had sensed taking place on Earth prior to his arrival.

“He’s gone away, hasn’t he?” Piccolo asked, staring at Goku’s pensive form next to him.

Smiling and knowing just who the namek was inquiring about, Goku replied, “Yeah, Supreme Kai and Kibito took him to their planet for training.”

“Good,” Piccolo whispered, “That boy has gotten too soft in these times of peace.”

Goku humphed, quietly agreeing. 

“And you?” Piccolo continued, “What will you do after speaking to the others? Go after Buu yourself…avenge Vegeta perhaps?”

The namek added the last quip without thinking and instantly felt regret at the stiffening shoulders and hard look passing over Goku’s features. 

“We can talk about that in a bit,” Goku forced out, his tone slightly bitter as he hung his head low, obscuring his face partially from Piccolo’s view. 

The namek, narrowing his eyes, gave his friend a keen once over. “What exactly happened down there, Goku?” Piccolo asked in wonder after the saiyan’s unrepentantly hostile response, “You seem so different now.” 

“Piccolo,” Goku’s voice was sharp and dangerous in its reprimand, “Drop it.”

Even as the words left his mouth, Piccolo observed the agonized expression on Goku’s face that he tried to hide, almost like he was reliving some painful experience all over again. 

What Piccolo needed to find out was what exactly had transpired between Goku and Vegeta to make him react this way, but the namek was already on shaky ground with his moody companion, it seemed.

“Alright, Son Goku,” Piccolo gently relented for the time being, “Keep your secrets. But know that I am willing to listen to anything you have to say.”

But it was all very odd really and Piccolo was shocked by the drastic change in his friend’s usual happy demeanor. _How bad had it gone between the two saiyans that made Goku act so solemn and angry?_ True, Vegeta had murdered all those innocent people at the tournament, but Piccolo didn’t think that was the reason for Goku’s change. 

This time, Piccolo knew he had to get to the bottom of this, and made a resolution to press the other man a little more adamantly later, but first he found himself offering Goku the use of the shower and a set of spare clothes that were kept up here for him. 

“Thanks, Piccolo.” Nodding gratefully and quickly forgetting Piccolo’s earlier comments, Goku passed right by the namek and marched straight to the shower stall a few feet away. 

Piccolo, returning the gesture, watched his friend walk the short distance practically brushing against him on his way, and when he did so Piccolo’s sharp nose picked up on something very peculiar. 

Goku smelled different…and had a spicy scent intermixed with his own earthy one. In fact, the note distinctly reminded Piccolo of another of his kind, of the saiyan prince, Vegeta. 

Giving Goku a closer glance, Piccolo noted his makeshift excuse for pants that barely clung to his most private areas. The piercing rays of sunlight cast over the saiyan in that instant, striking his clothing in such an angle that it allowed Piccolo to see through the flimsy material and he was now able to catch the many bruises marring Goku’s inner thighs. 

But it wasn’t that sight alone that held his attention. The scent of semen and blood wafting in the air had hit him like a freight train and caused him to suddenly rear back in understanding. 

_Vegeta had raped Goku._ Piccolo gasped in shock and horror, the glaring truth flooring him. 

It certainly would explain the angry behavior from the younger saiyan. It would explain a lot of things actually and it caused a pang of guilt to sweep through him. Goku seemed like a shadow of the bright and happy soul he once was. The angry bitterness did not become such a genial man and it made Piccolo’s heart clench painfully to see it. This man, his friend, had endured so much already. _Where were they when he needed them the most?_ Turned into statues because of their own stupidity, he lamented. 

Shaking the painful insight from his mind, Piccolo made a decision. Cautiously approaching the showering stall that was occupied by his friend, he peered inside to confirm his suspicions and noticed the bruising up close was even worse. Goku was covered by his own blood and the sticky white substance that must have been Vegeta’s release. It had crusted all over his thighs and ass, but centered mainly between the cleft of his cheeks. 

Piccolo closed his eyes, trying in vain to compose the emotions that rose up within him. That was a sight he never expected or ever wished to see again. A wave of nausea hit him and Piccolo inhaled sharply as he stepped back once more to give the warrior some much deserved privacy. 

The sadness of Kami’s soul reverberated within him, combining doubly with his own, and Piccolo inwardly seethed with misgivings toward the older saiyan and what he had done. Remembering their recent conversation before the other lost his life fighting Buu, the namek now understood why Vegeta’s behavior had felt so odd to him at the time. 

_“Namek,” Vegeta spoke, looking in his direction._

_There on the battlefield stood the lone saiyan, his bloody and bruised face a testament to the battle he had waged with the pink monstrosity known as Majin Buu. Two young demi saiyans lay at his feet in a forced slumber brought on by his fists and at any moment he was determined to embark on a fight to the death._

_But before that could happen, he was asking Piccolo for a small favor._

_“Give this to Kakarot when he wakes.” Vegeta requested solemnly, fishing something from a hidden pocket in his clothing and placing it into the namek’s waiting hand._

_Piccolo grunted, accepting the item which appeared to be a shard of some kind of gemstone. Pushing it around his palm, he watched as the sun reflected off its surface, refracting a blue-green light right back to him._

_“What is it?” Piccolo asked, curiosity piquing his interest._

_“That, namek, is a piece of my father’s royal medallion,” Vegeta started, “Nappa found it aboard Frieza’s ship one day and picked it up. He gave it to me immediately afterwards, having guessed my father’s true fate upon discovering it gathering dust in some corner of the command room.”_

_“I see,” Piccolo looked up in surprise at his fellow warrior._

_This item was likely priceless to Vegeta. So why entrust it to Goku of all people? Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, Piccolo suddenly had a feeling Vegeta had deeply wronged their mutual friend somehow, and this was part of his final act of atonement._

_“What happened to Goku?” Piccolo seriously inquired, focusing his shrewd gaze on the saiyan prince._

_Vegeta, flashing him an irritated look, growled, “That’s not your concern, namek. Will you give it to him or not?”_

_Piccolo sighed, relenting to the saiyan’s demand. Whatever it was that happened he could surely extract from Goku later._

_“Of course.”_

_“Good. Now get away from here and take the two boys with you.” Vegeta commanded, nodding his head toward Goten and Trunks while turning his back to his companion._

_“You’ll die, you know this,” Piccolo uttered as he bent down, scooping up and tucking a demi under each arm._

_A short silence followed, the air filled with tense foreboding, before Vegeta spoke once more._

_“There is one thing I’d like to know. Tell me, namek,” Vegeta began ruefully, “Will I meet that clown Kakarot in the otherworld?”_

_Piccolo heard regret and sadness reflected heavily with the question, but found he simply could not lie to the other just to save him grief._

_“Goku devoted his life to protecting the lives of others.” Piccolo affirmed, “Because of his sacrifice, when he died, he was allowed to keep his body and reside on King Kai’s planet. You, on the other hand, have spent your life in pursuit of your own selfish desires. You’ve caused too much pain and suffering. When you die, you will not receive the same reward,” Piccolo finished in a firm tone as he fixed the saiyan’s back intently._

_“Oh well,” Vegeta nodded in understanding, “So be it.”_

_Piccolo, taking a deep breath, lingered for a moment longer, but the voice of the forlorn prince traveled to his ears urgently._

_“That will be all. Now get out of here…Hurry.”_

_Piccolo turned to leave with his two charges, but was halted by Vegeta calling out to him one final time. It seemed he had one more favor to ask. Piccolo listened, nodding in agreement before lifting off and flying away from the impending scene of battle._

Piccolo felt the weight of the gift still hidden in his pocket, far greater than what was actually due to the item itself. Memories of the last goodbye were still playing in his mind and he agonized over the choice that he had to make. 

_Should he give it to Goku?_ After it dawned on him just how savagely Vegeta brutalized the other saiyan, Piccolo wasn’t so sure that it was a good idea. Yet he remembered the sincerity of the words Vegeta had spoken before he marched off to his doom. 

_“Namek…tell him I’m sorry.”_ It was Vegeta’s final message to his rival Goku, the person he wronged greatly, and the last words the older saiyan spoke to him. 

Piccolo had agreed to deliver the message, unconsciously feeling its significance. “I’m sorry” was not a phrase typically found in Vegeta’s vocabulary and the only other time Piccolo remembered him voicing that sentiment was when Gohan had saved him from Cell seven years ago. 

Making a difficult decision, the namek grasped the shard in his pocket and finally pulled it out into the open. Remembering how reflective its surface was, he turned it back and forth, watching the sun bounce back perfectly its brilliant sea colored hues. 

“What do you have there, Piccolo?” Goku asked, giving his startled friend a funny look when he jumped back in surprise. 

So distracted was Piccolo pushing the gift around his palm and brooding over the inevitable, he did not hear Goku exit the stall fully dressed in his new gi and walk right in front of him. 

“It’s a gift for you,” Piccolo replied with uncertainty, bringing his troubled eyes down to meet the ones belonging to his friend. 

“Oh?” Goku remarked, his curiosity growing. 

Piccolo sighed. “It’s from Vegeta, Goku. He asked me to give it to you along with a message.” 

At that mention of his rapist, Goku paled and stood impossibly still. _What did Vegeta mean by leaving him a gift?_

“It is a piece of his late father’s medallion,” Piccolo continued unabated, placing the bright shard into Goku’s hand, “and it seemed to be one of his most valued possessions.” 

Goku’s hand instantly grasped at the item, bringing it up to stare hard at its gleaming surface. And in its reflection, he could almost see the fiery, teal eyes of the late prince, whose face he would never forget as he pounded into his unwilling body with such brutal ferocity. 

Goku breathed heavily. He wanted to hate the other saiyan for what he had done and in his heart he almost did, but there was another part of him that felt honored by the gift. That the man would give him the last remnant of his childhood was astonishing. 

“What was the message?” Goku whispered, his voice coming out soft and vulnerable like a child’s, as he lost himself in the hypnotic reflection of blue-green light. 

Piccolo hesitated a moment, but quickly gathered his courage and answered, “He said he was sorry.” 

Clutching the shard in his palm tight, a single tear escaped and slid down Goku’s cheek, “I see.”

“You need not keep it if it upsets you, Goku,” Piccolo suggested, deeply affected by the sadness emanating from his friend, “Give it to Bulma or Trunks if you prefer.”

Goku thought over what Piccolo had said and it made sense logically since they were his family, but some instinct told him the gift was meant only for him – something the older saiyan would leave only to another of his kind. Despite what Vegeta had done, Goku decided to hold on to it, and taking out a small brown bag, he placed the shard carefully inside. 

“I’ll keep it,” Goku resolved, “You are right; it was probably precious to him…and meant only for me.” 

“As you wish,” Piccolo conceded. 

Goku flashed his friend a brief but sad smile. “Thanks, Piccolo.”

“Hn,” the namek muttered, inclining his head in acknowledgment. 

“Well, I guess we should head off to speak to the others,” Goku offered reluctantly, his glowing eyes practically screaming dread. 

“Yes. They are still waiting for us,” Piccolo said, mentally preparing for what had to be done. 

In his heart, the namek vowed to do whatever he could to help ease his friend’s discomfort. He had yet to confront Goku about what he had seen while the other warrior was in the shower, but Piccolo intended to do so very soon. 

A pregnant pause soon followed but it proved to be short lived and Piccolo heard the voice of the Earth saiyan addressing him once more. 

“I’m ready, Piccolo,” Goku indicated, and now both warriors were heading off together to face their closest friends and family.

**Author's Note:**

> This was the chapter story I had notes for going back 10 years now. I finally decided when I began writing recently to attempt to give it life. It is a heavier subject and was a bit difficult for me to work on. I will be updating this one very slow and I'm been notoriously bad at keeping up with long stories in the past. If you like it, feel free to harass me on a regular basis to update.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [To the Victor go the Spoils](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9248300) by [AlphaLightBearer (LightBearer)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightBearer/pseuds/AlphaLightBearer)




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